Combined toy boots and stilts



Aug. 24, 1965 D. LEUMI COMBINED TOY BOOTS AND STIL'I'S Filed Nov. 18, 1964 lNVf/VTOR D 08/ L EUM/ ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 411,974 Claims. (Cl. 36-7.5)

Thisinvention relates to toy stilts, and more particularly relates to a pair of giant-sized toy boots to be worn by young children as stilt-like platforms so as to enable the child to appear taller in imitation of wellknown nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters, such as Gulliver or Puss-in-Boots.

' It is commonly recognized that children, particularly little ones, love to engage in activities affording them adult status since they wish to appear, to themselves at least, of a size comparable to that of an adult. They often act out by way of fantasies the parts played by real-life champions or those heroes about whom they have learned by way of fiction, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes. Characters such as Paul Bunyan, Gulliver and the Lilliputians, and the Cat with the Seven League Boots are real favorites. Thus, these tiny tots would particularly like to look the same as those fabulous heroes of yesterdays dreams by wearing such of their clothing and using such costumes as would permit them to identify them with their childhood heroes.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a pair of giant-sized boots to be worn by children which make the tots appear to be of an adult size.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pair of stilts in the form of giant boots which simulate the appearance of storybook characters.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide boot-like stilts in the design of a giants costume which will afford young children many hours of amusement.

Still another object of this invention is to provide over-sized costume boots to be worn as a toy by children and having a platform therein for apparently increasing the childs height.

Other objects of this invention are to provide an improved device of the character described which is easily and economically produced, that is sturdy in construction and highly efficient and elfective in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a pair of oversized giant boots embodying this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of one boot.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, the instant invention comprises a pair of highly-oversized or giant boots, generally designated as A, which are to be worn by a child B, not in the usual manner as one would wear shoes, but as stilts in the nature of a toy.

Each boot A is a lightweight mobile platform which is detachably secured to the childs feet 5 thereby enabling him to be elevated above the ground and simulate in play the great strides of the fictional giants of yore.

3,201,876 Patented Aug. 24, 1965 "ice The boots A are preferably molded of high impact plastic material, such as utility black polystyrene, in a configuration fully resembling the footwear of those giants, including a lower portion 10 which would normally embrace the feet and a cuff portion 12 which would customarily extend above the ankles and around the calves. Creases 14 are also integrally formed in the exterior of the boots to simulate the conditions of worn leather as well as a sole and heel portion 16 at the base of each boot.

Within the ankle portion of each boot and intermediate the upper and lower edges of the cuff 12 is a platform plate 18 which divides the boot into an upper or foot embracing compartment 20 and a false bottom 22. A plurality of channels 24, 26 and Z8 transversely extend through each boot immediately below the platform 18 and elongated eyelets 30, 32 and 34 are in respective spaced registration with the channels in opposed portions of the cuff 12 immediately above the platform. An ankle strap 40 is passed through the channel 28 and back through the eyelets 34 where it adjustably embraces by :buckle 42 the instep of one of the childs feet 5. A strap 44 having a buckle 46 extends through either the channel-eyelet pair 24-30 or 26-32 where it grasps the toe portion of the childs foot. It is to be observed that the strap 44 can be used in either one of two positions in order to accommodate for differentsized feet of children of various ages. However, attention is invited to the fact that the childs feet 5 are entirely contained within the compartment 20 with the upper portion of the boot cuffs 12 extending about his ankles to give the illusion that his feet extend into the secret false bottom 22. The straps may be of various bright colors, and the portion of the straps 40 and 44 which extend outside the cuffs are seen as a thong which further adds to the decorative effect and illusion.

As has been described hereinabove, the boots themselves should necessarily be light in weight in order for small children to take strides with any degree of facility. Therefore, each boot A is essentially a hollow shell that is molded in two halves which are later cemented together. As is best illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 5, each boot half-portion has a pair of stiffener ribs 50 which extend vertically from the platform plate 18 to a base plate 52 as well as a toe stiffener 54. A plurality of integrally molded triangular plates 56 also act to provide reinforcement for the platform plate 18 without adding appreciably to the weight of the boot. Similarly, a plurality of molded cleat webs 58 reinforce the peripheral sole portion 16.

Finally, the molded halves of the boot sections have complementary rabbets along their mating marginal edges to form a medial seam 60 when the two sections are cemented together. Referring to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, a plurality of guide pins 62 are integrally molded in one of the two mating halves so as to provide overlapping locking abutment of one half with the other thereby affording a positive fit and minimizing the effect of possible warping of the shell half-components. In addition, a plurality of integrally molded locator pins 64 project inwardly from one half-section and cooperatively interfit with aligning sockets 66 in the other complementary half-section.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, the boots of the instant invention are both light in weight and quite rigid and sturdy in construction. At the same time, their overall appearance is most realistic, and a child is thereby afforded many hours of amusement and pleasure while absorbing the beneficial emotional experience of having the added height of his fantastic heroes. It is to be especially noted that the childs feet are strapped within the platform compartment 20 of the boots without extending into the false bottom 22 in any 1 way. The adjustment of the straps 40 and 44, and the size of the.compartment fully accommodate all normal childrens feet whetherbare or already clad in shoes; 7 Although this invention has been 'describedin considerable detail, such description is intended 'as being illustrative rather' thanalimiting since the invention may be variously embodied and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed. I

What is claimed is:

1. Toy stilts for children comprising a: pair of rigid plastic shell members each having an external configura tion in the shape of a giant boot with a lower shoe-like I portion and an :upper cuff portion, each boot shell comprising a pair of integrally molded half shell portions having rabbets at opposed complementary edges thereof,

guide pins integrally molded within one of said half s'hell'portions and projecting outwardly therefrom, lo-

cator pins integrally molded in one of said shell half portions and outwardly projecting therefrom, sockets integrally molded in the otherof said shell half portions for receiving said locatorjpins, meansto cement said half sections together in complementary abutting rabbeted engagement to define a seamwith said locator pins cooperatively secured in said'sockets and said guide pins overlying the seam defined, by-said .rabbet s, a platform,

plate medially disposed in each of the cuff portions and supported upon reinforcing ribs integrally molded in each of said half shell portions and dividing'said boot into'an upper footreceiving compartment and a lower false bottom compartment, and means in said upper i compartment for detachably securing a childs foot therein whereby a child wearing said boots will appear taller and enable himto imitate storybook giants.

2. Toy stilts for childrencomprising a pair of rigid plastic shell members each having an external configura tion in the shape of an oversized giant boot. and being of hollow internal construction, a lower portion'on each 'ofsaid boots and, including a sole thereunderto define a shoe portion in a form which would theoretically embrace a foot of a giant, a cuff portion upwardly extend ing from each of said shoe portions and which would theoretically embrace anankle-and calf of the giant, a platform plate horizontally disposed entirely within said cuff portions .and spaced intermediate the upper edge thereof and said'sole to divide each of said boots into an upper compartment for receiving a childs foot and a lower portion defining a closed false, bottom compartment, and means in each of said cuff portions to detachably receive the childs 'foot inthe upper compartment, said cufl' portions-extendingabove the ankles of the child and" partially concealing 'the childs feet from view wherebya child walking o'n'said boots will appear taller in imitation of storybook giants and create an ill usionof wearing such boots in a 'usualmanner. V

3. The invention of claim- 2 wherein said means for References Cited the Egarniner I UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,545,437 7/25 Malone et al. 367.8 2,223,384 12/401Percorella et al.f 36-81 "2,301,702 11/42 I-Iite et al 1 3681 2,519,458 8/50 Hall -1 367.5 FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner. I 

1. TOY STILTS FOR CHILDREN COMPRISING A PAIUR OF RIGID PLASTIC SHELL MEMBERS EACH HAVING AN EXTERNAL CONFIGURATION IN THE SHAPE OF A GIANT BOOT WITH A LOWER SHOE-LIKE PORTION AND AN UPPER CUFF PORTION, EACH BOOT SHELL COMPRISING A PAIR OF INTEGRALLY MOLDLED HALF SHELL PORTIONS HAVING RABETS AT OPPOSED COMPLEMENTARY EDGES THEREOF, GUIDE PINS INTEGRALLY MOLDED WITHIN ONE OF SAID HALF SHELL PORTIONS AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, LOCATOR PINS INTEGRALLY MOLDED IN ONE OF SAID SHELL HALF PORTIONS AND OUTWARDLY PROJECTING THEREFROM, SOCKETS INTEGRALLY MOLDED IN THE OTHER OF SAID SHELL HALF PORTION FOR RECEIVING SAID LOCATOR PINS, MEANS TO CEMENT SAID HALF SECTIONS TOGETHER IN COMPLEMENTARY ABUTTING RABBETED ENGAGEMENT TO DEFINE A SEAM WITH SAID LOCATOR PINS COOPERATIVELY SECURED IN SAID SOCKETS AND SAID GUIDE PINS 